Cops Shot
Location: Phoenix Arizona Date: July 30, 1992 Story On the evening of July 30, 1992, Dave Logan and his partner, Marla Wasser, were on patrol in a Phoenix suburb. They had just finished a DARE class and were wrapping up their patrol. Dave pulled over two young juveniles who were walking on State Street and he and Marla told them to go home with a warning since they are also state coordinators for DARE. As Dave and Marla turned onto 9th two men came out of an alley. One was Jamie Bernal. Dave turned the squad car around and ordered them to drop their guns. Jamie refused and shot Dave who slumped onto the front seat and collapsed onto the street. Marla fired back, Jamie shot her in the hand and thigh, and he and his partner ran off. Marla grabbed the radio and called dispatch reporting that Dave was shot. Backup arrived four minutes later lead by Ron Lake. He checked Dave's vitals. He still had a pulse but it was fading, his breath was shallow, and he was coughing up blood. Debbie Baier arrived next and took over for Ron. She asked Marla what Jamie looked like and she said that he had a gray hoodie and was 5 foot 9 inches. Debbie called dispatch and sent officers into the alley to look for Jamie and his partner. She then checked on Marla. Her hand was bleeding where Jamie shot it and she was still holding the pistol. She also had a slight limp. Once the scene was secure Chris Kettler brought the ambulance in and treated Marla bandaging her hand and thigh. He also checked on Dave, covered his wounds, and revived him. He was responsive as they transported him to the hospital. Minutes later Debbie called in the K-9s. They found Jamie and his partner in a dumpster and arrested them. Dave and Marla were transported to Good Samaritan Medical Center in downtown Phoenix and Bart Carter treated their wounds. Dave was three minutes from death when he arrived, but the doctors were able to remove the bullets, close up his spinal cord, and get most of his vitals back. His wife, Sheila, was notified and she came and sat next to him and Marla as he recovered in his bed. He made it though the night, woke up hours later, and could not move because of partial paralysis. He stayed in the hospital for four months and was released on Thanksgiving Day. The first thing he did was walk out of the front door. Marla spent a week in the hospital and returned to work at DARE and the Phoenix Police Department. Today she and Dave are still on patrol and teach DARE, and they give the story of when their first run almost became their last. They became close after this shooting and warn kids about the dangers of drugs and gun violence on our streets and to make sure something like this never happens again. Jamie Bernal was found guilty of two counts of shooting a police office and sentenced to 46 years in prison. Category:1992 Category:Arizona Category:Gunshot Wounds Category:Head Traumas Category:Bleeding Category:Shootings